Ich bin ein Berliner – you are talking narishkeit and shtussim and lies!!
first of all, the past 2 years NY had worse winters than montreal. Our winter does have hash weather for perhaps 1-2 weeks, then it gets very very bearable. cold but not insane. The past few years we had MAYBE 1 or 2 snowfalls in December. January and February are usually the coldest months, March already is really not so bad either. Our fall and spring can be anything from hot and sunny to wind and rain. summers in montreal are beautiful as it doesn not get so humid as say lakewood or brooklyn. we have had lots of days this past summer where it reached well into the 90’s. so to say winter in mtl lasts for 9 months is a statement made out of insanity, ignorance or both.
secondly, it is a very vibrant, close-nit community that has a very strong european flavor. everyone knows everyone pretty much, and as any other community that has its advantages and disadvantages. The advantage of course is the achdus and warmth (eg: everyone wishes everyone Good Shabbos). Disadvantage is yes it could be very yentish, everyone talking about evryone.
all in all,imo, it’s a type of kehilla more people would hope to live in than not. (unless you’re a cold, bitter hermit)
3) yes the french cause problems, but tell me pray which city doesn’t have it’s french, shvartzahs, or other goyish troublemakers? Besides it’s NOT palpable. i have never had ONE incident of anti-semitism ever. as long as you are polite and speak in french and show you are nice, you don’t have any problems.
4) “The local hechsherim, are unfortunately sub-par by american standards,” bla bla bla, i don’t know from which garbage dump you picked up those lies…
5) several rabbeim in the yeshiva today are former talmidim of that yeshiva…
talk about ignorance, motzee shem rah, motzee laz, and sheker all in one post! i expect an apology from u, Ich bin ein Berliner…